Sector comparison · Ireland
Education vs Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities
Median annual earnings · Source: CSO 2024
Education pays 91% more than Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities · €54,413 vs €28,497
Education pays a median of €54,413 per year nationally, against €28,497 for Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities — a gap of 91%. Over the longer run, Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities has been the faster-growing of the two, at +2.3% per year on average — so while Education pays more today, Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities is closing the gap over time. The difference between the two sectors is not uniform across Ireland: it is widest in Sligo, where the gap reaches €39,040.
Growth Comparison
+1%
Education annual growth (CAGR) since 2011
+2.3%
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities annual growth (CAGR) since 2011
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Education
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities
County-by-County Comparison
| County | Education | Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sligo | €59,313 | €20,273 | +€39,040 |
| Leitrim | €57,183 | €22,778 | +€34,405 |
| Donegal | €55,582 | €21,194 | +€34,388 |
| Monaghan | €57,193 | €23,093 | +€34,100 |
| Mayo | €58,895 | €25,392 | +€33,503 |
| Galway | €59,410 | €26,795 | +€32,615 |
| Longford | €52,234 | €19,853 | +€32,381 |
| Clare | €58,118 | €26,672 | +€31,446 |
| Kerry | €55,264 | €23,960 | +€31,304 |
| Roscommon | €57,102 | €26,056 | +€31,046 |
| Carlow | €55,074 | €24,961 | +€30,113 |
| Limerick | €56,249 | €26,368 | +€29,881 |
| Tipperary | €55,404 | €26,000 | +€29,404 |
| Cavan | €53,720 | €24,646 | +€29,074 |
| Waterford | €55,086 | €26,142 | +€28,944 |
| Westmeath | €54,355 | €26,024 | +€28,331 |
| Kilkenny | €55,185 | €27,481 | +€27,704 |
| Cork | €53,500 | €25,858 | +€27,642 |
| Louth | €53,541 | €27,330 | +€26,211 |
| Wexford | €52,898 | €26,977 | +€25,921 |
| Offaly | €52,133 | €27,169 | +€24,964 |
| Meath | €54,413 | €29,676 | +€24,737 |
| Kildare | €56,440 | €31,782 | +€24,658 |
| Laois | €52,426 | €28,058 | +€24,368 |
| Wicklow | €52,166 | €30,344 | +€21,822 |
| Dublin | €51,637 | €32,868 | +€18,769 |
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Keep Exploring
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See the biggest county gap for Education
Sligo is one of the clearest local splits in this comparison.
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